(CNN) - With less than two months to go until primary day in New York City, a new poll indicates that two candidates hoping to come back from scandals that sidetracked their political careers are both edging out their opponents.

According to a Quinnipiac University poll released Monday, former New York state Gov. Eliot Spitzer leads Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer 48%-33% in the Democratic primary race for New York City comptroller, the city's chief budget officer. Spitzer, who resigned as governor in 2008 after revelations he spent thousands of dollars on prostitutes, jumped into the comptroller race just over a week ago.
And the poll indicates that former Rep. Anthony Weiner has the backing of 25% of likely New York City Democratic primary voters, three points ahead of City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, the former frontrunner. Former Comptroller William Thompson is at 11%, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio is at 10%, with everyone else in single digits.

Weiner's three point margin is within the survey's sampling error. Weiner announced his mayoral bid in May. He was in his seventh term in Congress representing parts of the New York City boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn when he resigned from the House in 2011 amid scandal over lewd photos sent via Twitter.

"Notoriety has earned the 'Tabloid Twins,' former Gov. Eliot Spitzer as Client 9 and former Congressman Anthony (Tweets) Weiner, good initial numbers in the polls," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "Whether those numbers hold up in the real poll on Primary Election Day is the big question."

The Quinnipiac survey is the second poll conducted since Spitzer announced his bid to indicate him in the lead. An NBC 4/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll released last week indicated Spitzer ahead of Stringer 42%-33% among registered Democrats in the September 10 primary.

Reacting to the new survey, Spitzer put out a statement saying, "While I didn't take a poll to enter this race, the results of these early polls are gratifying."

In a city where registered Democrats greatly outnumber registered Republicans, the winners of the Democratic primary will be considered the frontrunners in November general election.

According to the Quinnipiac poll, strong support among black voters is helping both Spitzer and Weiner. Spitzer leads Stringer 61%-26% among black voters. In the mayoral primary battle, Weiner has the backing of 31% of black voters, far ahead of Quinn at 16%, with Thompson, the only major black candidate in the mayoral field, at 14%.

As for gender, men back Spitzer 53%-33% while women support him by a smaller 44%-32% margin. Weiner tops Quinn 29%-21% among men but narrowly trails 23%-21% among women.

To the probable disadvantage of the other candidates, Weiner and Spitzer have dominated the news coverage of the mayoral and comptroller races, thanks to their scandals and their bids for political second chances.

"Is it better to be well-known mainly for a scandal than to be largely unknown?" asks Carroll.

The Quinnipiac University poll was conducted July 8-14, with 738 registered Democrats in New York City questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points.

Exhibit A for why this demographic's opinions are often illogical and should be irrelevant

July 15, 2013 04:40 pm at 4:40 pm |

The Real Tom Paine

Disappointing, but hardly surprising in a world where adultery is rewarded with a return to high public office regardless of party.

July 15, 2013 04:43 pm at 4:43 pm |

anonymous

The Democrat Daily Double of Depravity.... how sweet.

July 15, 2013 04:46 pm at 4:46 pm |

freedom

Spitzer and Weiner – ha! you can't make this stuff up –

July 15, 2013 04:48 pm at 4:48 pm |

guest

Rudy NYC
It looks like it is going to be another lesser of the perverts ballot.
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FIFY

July 15, 2013 04:53 pm at 4:53 pm |

Gt

Hey York ...that's all you got . ? Pathetic choices

July 15, 2013 04:53 pm at 4:53 pm |

Sheila

they should call them the weiner-splitchezer ! isn't that a german type of beer ? or was it a german type of hot dog, or brat wurst or was that a type of wine ?

July 15, 2013 04:55 pm at 4:55 pm |

The Real Tom Paine

-anonymous

The Democrat Daily Double of Depravity.... how sweet
***************
Cute, coming from the party of Vitter and Sanford. Weiner and Spitzer are in NYC, while your boys can wreak havoc on an international scale.

July 15, 2013 04:56 pm at 4:56 pm |

it must be said

Please remind me... how much time did Spitzer do for breaking the law? I do believe that number was ZERO. Why was he never tried, convicted and sentenced like the rest of us??? Why is he now even allowed to run for office after proving he was incapable of being honest last time? New Yorkers are insane.

July 15, 2013 05:00 pm at 5:00 pm |

Larry in Houston

If Sanford from Carolina can do it – then they can do it – – It's a new low – for people like those 3 – – – to get back into politics – – they have no shame – – + no conscience – – the only thing they care about is how much money they will be able to take in – or make. pathetic

July 15, 2013 05:00 pm at 5:00 pm |

Sniffit

"but harry reid and the democrats are already threatening to do this right now. "

Wrong. Reid has proposed eliminating is solely with respect to Presidential nominees to his cabinet positions so that the GOP/Teatrolls can't just essentially nullify existing laws by preventing entire agencies from running in the manner their enabling statutes mandate. They are not blocking nominees for things like the NLRB because they have honest problems with the qualifications of the candidates. They are blocking them to prevent the agency from functioning properly or at all. That is not what "with the advice and consent of the Senate" means. If the GOP/Teatrolls want to agree to rules that define when filibusters for nominees will be allowed, instead of just removal of the filibuster for nominees altogether, I'm pretty sure Reid would negotiate. The GOP/Teatrolls, however, and this is the distinction, have threatened to get rid of the filibuster FOR EVERYTHING...and that is precisely what they will do if ever given a majority in the Senate ever again. It's "do anything" time as far as the GOP/Teatrolls are concerned, which is why they're busy redistricting, suppressing votes and a whole host of other crap designed to save them from the demographic shifts.

With names like Spitzer and Weiner, they were bound to be morally inept. They make perfect politicians.

July 15, 2013 05:12 pm at 5:12 pm |

Tony D

These two guys should be publicly flogged and exiled to the deep woods of upper New York state, not elected to any public office. They were never charged and tried for their admitted crimes. yet the liberals want to scream that the justice system doesn't work when a guy is judged not guilty because he was exercising his right of self defense. Liberals really need to get thier heads screwed on straight.

July 15, 2013 05:17 pm at 5:17 pm |

just sayin

Sniffit
"but harry reid and the democrats are already threatening to do this right now. "
Wrong. Reid has proposed eliminating is solely with respect to Presidential nominees to his cabinet positions so that the GOP/Teatrolls can't just essentially nullify existing laws by preventing entire agencies from running in the manner their enabling statutes mandate. They are not blocking nominees for things like the NLRB because they have honest problems with the qualifications of the candidates. They are blocking them to prevent the agency from functioning properly or at all. That is not what "with the advice and consent of the Senate" means. If the GOP/Teatrolls want to agree to rules that define when filibusters for nominees will be allowed, instead of just removal of the filibuster for nominees altogether, I'm pretty sure Reid would negotiate.
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ok so you admit the democrats are trying to change the rules. thanks for finally being honest. and who are you or anybody else to judge their motives? all just because they don't agree with approving every leftist obama sends up for appointment. they are doing their job.

The GOP/Teatrolls, however, and this is the distinction, have threatened to get rid of the filibuster FOR EVERYTHING...and that is precisely what they will do if ever given a majority in the Senate ever again. It's "do anything" time as far as the GOP/Teatrolls are concerned,
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well if the democrats want to start the war then expect the republicans to return the favor. you reap what you sow.

which is why they're busy redistricting, suppressing votes and a whole host of other crap designed to save them from the demographic shifts.
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oh please, not this baloney yet again. democrats are the ones that gerry mandered all the districts to create guaranteed minority/democrat seats. now you complain about it. suppressing votes? you mean like using the irs to target ovama's opponents and keep them out of two election cycles? and the only thing the democrats are worried about with showing an id to vote, is that tens of thousands of them won't be able to vote more than once, and that illegals won't be able to vote, and all those dead peoiple won't be voting either.

"oh please, not this baloney yet again. democrats are the ones that gerry mandered all the districts to create guaranteed minority/democrat seats. now you complain about it. suppressing votes"

Wow. You really do live in an alternate reality. TX redistricting so blatantly and DELIBERATELY racist...yes, there was concrete evidence showing that beyond any doubt it was intentional...in 2011 that it got thrown out. What's even better, is that it's now being used under the "bail in" provision of the VRA, which still remains intact, as the evidence that TX should be placed back in preclearance. It's no secret why Perry signed a brand new redistricting plan the week of the VRA decision. No secret at all. Add in all the voter ID laws GOPers/Teatrolls have enacted, their consistent reduction in registration periods and early voting periods, their reduction of polling places, shenanigans with polling times, taking away Sunday voting, understaffing polling locations, attempting to legislate away the right of college students to vote in the state in which they attend college, etc., and it's not exactly a mystery what they're trying to do. Your denial gives you away.